Monthly Archives: October 2014

RVA Beer Week 2014: Learn To Homebrew Day Is Saturday

RVA Beer Week LogoJoin in on the yearly celebration of Richmond’s craft beer scene during RVA Beer Week (November 1 – 9). If you’ve ever dreamt of making your own beer, you’re in luck because the American Homebrewers’ Association’s 16th annual Learn to Homebrew Day is Saturday November 1st .  Members of the James River Homebrewers will be brewing at Ardent Craft Ales starting at 10am.

Meanwhile M.A.S.H. will be having their own brew day down in Chester at the Weekend Brewer starting at 9am.

Weekend Brewer
4205 W Hundred Rd
Chester, VA 23831
(804) 796-9760

RVA Beer Week 2014: Beer Dinners & Food Pairings

The yearly celebration of Richmond’s burgeoning craft beer scene is here as RVA Beer Week  runs November 1 – 9. Here are a few options if you would like to eat your way through the week..

Monday November 3rd

Sam Adams Beer Dinner at Maggiano’s — 6:30PM

Check out the menu for this Sam Adams Beer Dinner at Maggiano’s in Short Pump.  I don’t have the exact cost for this dinner but past dinners have been $65/person including tax and tip. Call the restaurant at (804) 253-0910 for more information and to reserve your spot.

Maggiano's Beer Dinner Menu

Tuesday November 4th

Smartmouth Beer & Food Pairings at Urban Tavern — 6PM

Head up to The Urban Tavern as they sample four Smartmouth beers and pair them with Tim Bereika’s food.  Call the restaurant to reserve your spot.

Smartmouth Urban Tavern Tasting 110414-3

Wednesday November 5th

Bites & Flights at Toast & Estilo — 5PM

Join Estilo & Toast RVA as we celebrate RVA Beer week by featuring a flight from some of our favorite breweries, paired with delicious bites from Executive Chef Ian!

4 beers & 4 bites at each restaurant!

Estilo Menu

Candied Pumpkin Quesadilla
Three Brothers Fairground Fall Ale

Chicken Mole Taquito
Devil’s Backbone: Coco Danzig Baltic Porter

Buffalo Sope
Terrapin: Hopzilla

Pepita Brownie with ginger blood orange glaze
Champion: Blood Red Hibiscus Hefeweizen

Toast Menu

Green Tomato Bruschetta
Champion: Tart Berliner Weisse

Citrus & Sambal Chicken Wing
Devil’s Backbone: Bravo 4pt

Savory Cheesecake with balsamic pears & goat cheese
Terrapin: So Fresh & So Green, Green

Salted Caramel Espresso covered Cherries
Three Brothers: Dear Watson

Featured Beers
Bravo 4pt & Coco Danzig from Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Tart Berliner Weisse and Blood Red Hibiscus Hefeweizen from Champion Brewing Company
So Fresh & So Green Green and Hopzilla from Terrapin Beer Co.
TBD – Three Brothers Brewing

Only $40 (plus tax & gratuity) to sample all 8 bites & beers

Estilo
7021 Three Chopt Rd
Richmond, VA 23226

RVA Beer Week 2014: Festivals

Join in on the yearly celebration of Richmond’s craft beer scene during RVA Beer Week (November 1 – 9).  Since everyone knows Richmond loves festivals, here are couple festival and tasting events to check out.

Sunday November 2nd

Autumn Bottom Brews — 12 – 5PM

Enjoy Virginia’s finest craft beers at the 4th Annual Autumn Bottom Brews festival Sunday November 2nd from 12-5pm at the historic 17th Street Farmers’ Market. Autumn Bottom Brews brings together Virginia’s top breweries for a day of full of food, drink, music and fun. You’ll find special limited release seasonal beers from 18 different Virginia breweries including:

Apocalypse – Lustful Maiden
Ardent – IPA
Bold Rock – VA Apple Cider
Center of the Universe – Monkey’s Uncle
Devils Backbone – Schwartz Bier
Extra Billy’s – Hoptrick
Hardywood – Pils
Isley – Stunt Dubbel Pumpkin
Legend – Winter White
Lickinghole Creek – Gentleman Farmer
Midnight – Not My Job Brown Ale
O’Connor – Great Dismal Black IPA
Rusty Beaver – Roy’s Big Bad Brown
Starr Hill – Starr Pils
Strangeways – Phantasmic IPA
Sunkey City – Steamboat
Three Brothers – Festbier
Triple Crossing – IPA

Beer samples are just $2 each, so you’ll be able to taste them all! Full pours will also be available for $6. Cash or credit will be accepted and there’s an ATM on site. Autumn Bottom Brews is the best place to discover your new favorite Virginia craft beer!

Some of Richmond’s favorite restaurants and food trucks will be here too, with fresh local offerings that pair perfectly with your favorite brew:

River City Wood Fire Pizza – freshly baked wood fire pizza with choice of toppings
Halligan’s – pulled pork & chicken barbecue sandwiches and platters
The Savory Grain – Dry Rub Roasted Chicken Wing with house BBQ beer glaze; plus spinach, artichoke & beer dip with tortilla chips
The Boardwalk – Hot dogs, hamburgers and cheesesteaks

Enjoy live music throughout the day from some of Richmond’s best musical talent including The Sweater Band (12-2pm) and Andrew Alli & the 5th Street Hospital Band (3-5pm).

While you’re here, get an early start on your holiday shopping at our expanded craft & fresh food market featuring local art, clothing, jewelry, gourmet snacks and more.

The 4th Annual Autumn Bottom Brews festival comes to the historic 17th Street Farmers’ Market in Shockoe on Sunday, November 2 from 12pm to 5pm. Admission is free, food and beverages available for purchase. Produced by The Enrichmond Foundation and sponsored by Brown Distributing and the Friends of 17th Street Farmers’ Market. See you there!

Saturday November 8th

Beer Extravaganza at Southern Season — 2 – 5PM

Head over to Southern Season Saturday, November 8th from 2-5 pm for their Beer Extravaganza. There will be various local and national craft breweries, and cideries to sample as well as food vendors, home brew accessory vendors, and live music. They will also have a “Sip From the Porron” area where for $1 donation to Share the Food, you can try your hand at drinking Spanish cider from the porron, a traditional Spanish pitcher. Giveaways will be done periodically over the three hour time period and the winners of the home brew contest will be announced at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

Beer Vendors
New Belgium
Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery
Foothills
Triple Crossing
Devils Backbone
Legend
Strangeways
Center of the Universe
Alewerks
Champion
Bells
Roanoke Valley Imports

Food Vendors:
Pennacook Peppers
Jerry’s Backyard BBQ
Mad Hatter Hot Sauce
Carriage House
Whitley Peanuts
Virginia Diner Peanuts
Plantation Peanuts
Sweet Sour and Salty Co.
Bone Doctors BBQ Sauce
Chad’s Popcorn

You can buy your ticket online here.

Southern Season
2250 Staples Mill Rd
Richmond, VA 23230

Fulton Hill Says “Welcome Home, Stone”

The residents of Fulton Hill really know how to welcome people to the neighborhood.  Check out this video detailing the construction of the art project welcoming Stone Brewing to Richmond.

Go see this display while you can as it will probably need to be removed once construction starts.  It would be nice to see Stone carryover the painted stones in some part of their facilities. Maybe under the taproom bar?

Center of the Universe Goes To The Dogs For Inaugural Growl-O-Ween Today

Thanks to Mike Clark for bringing this to my attention. Take your dogs to COTU today Saturday October 25th starting at 2pm.

Grab your pooch, your costume, and your good time shoes as we welcome in the fall season and Halloween in style with the first annual GROWL-O-WEEN.  This doggone good time is in an effort to raise money for The Friends of Hanover Dog Parks and the Hanover Humane Society.  See below for all of the deTAILS:

October 25th  2:00pm – 5:00pm   (Rain date of October 26th 2:00pm – 5:00pm)

Event to take place at the Center of the Universe Bier Garden and parking lot

Free Admission

2:45

Best Doggy Trick:  Show what your pouch can do as you compete with others to see who’s dog can impress the judges.  Prizes will be awarded for the top two doggies.  $1 per doggie entry.

3:30

Howling Contest:  Can your dog talk?  Prove it!  The loudest and most on cue pooch and it’s owner will win a prize.  Get those lungs loosened up and show us what your neighbors are complaining about!  $1 per doggie entry

4:30

Costume Contest:  This is the main event.  Does your style, creativity, and patient pooch stack up to the competition?  We’ll be the judge of that.  Prizes awarded for the top 2 entrants in the following three categories; dog under 50lbs, dog over 50lbs, and best owner dog combo costume.  $5 per doggie entry.  Prizes will reflect higher entrance fee.

Dogs and owners alike will also enjoy the carnival style games that will be set up around the outdoor beer garden including; bobbing for tennis balls, tricks on command, and a photo booth.  We will also be offering a little mini “dog park” for your canine to kick back and relax.  $1 tickets required for the carnival games.  There will also be a silent auction during the festivities featuring some great gift baskets and experiences for pets and owners alike.  ALL PROCEEDS from ticket sales for games and contests as well as the silent auction will be donated to The Friends of Hanover Dog Parks and the Hanover Humane Society.

“Scattered Smothered and Covered” will be playing on the stage for the duration of the event for your auditory pleasure with local food trucks to fill your human tummies.  Lets not forget the 8 different COTU selections that will be available for purchase inside in the tasting room as well as outside service so you don’t have to leave your dog’s side!

*Please bring cash or check for tickets and auction items.  Credit cards will be accepted, but only for the auction items, through PAYPAL.

*Well behaved and leashed dogs only.

World Pediatric Project Fundraiser And Skellington Stout Debut At Triple Crossing Today

Head over to Triple Crossing today Saturday October 25th from Noon to 9pm as they raise money for the World Pediatric Project.  Triple Crossing will also debut Skellington Stout, a sessionable pumpkin spiced coffee stout.  You can read more about the creation of this stout and their collaboration with Black Hand Coffee here.

Isley Brewing Company Celebrates First Birthday Today

With the pumpkin festival and Hardywood’s Third Anniversary, Scott’s Addition is obviously the place to be today Saturday October 25th.  There is always room for more, right?

Take a break from the festival and head over to Isley Brewing and relax in their spacious taproom as they throw their First Birthday Bash from noon until whenever the party ends. They will be pouring tastes of Drunkin Punkin, a bourbon aged pumpkin beer. James River Cellars and Blue Bee Cider will be joining in on the fun as special vendors.

Here is Isley’s taplist from Trinkin.com as of this morning:

Blue Hefner — Blueberry Hefeweizen
Choosy Mother Peanut Butter Porter
Mimomo Imperial Stout
Off The Boulevard Irish Red Ale
Rye Me A River
Scott’s Addition IPA
Sour Relationship By Blue Hefner
Tall, Dark & Hopsome Black IPA
The Bribe Porter
You Had Me At Hello Hefeweizen

Live music will start at 2pm with Chris Buerkley and The People’s Key. Sammich, BoDillaz, and River City Wood Fire Pizza will be serving food through out the day. Try your hand at answering trivia questions or take a chance on the raffle to win prizes.

If nothing else, you should go to hang out with the River City Beer Betties.

Isley Brewing Company
1715 Summit Ave
Richmond, VA 23230

All Good Things Come In Threes. Hardywood’s Third Anniversary Party Is Saturday

Hardywood 3rd annivIt is amazing to think that we are looking towards the end of the year. Where did the time go?

Hardywood has come a long way in three years.  This year alone their distribution footprint has expanded west as far as Roanoke, north to Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, and east to the Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads areas. Their new grain silos outside the warehouse will be put to good use keeping thirsty patrons satiated.

In the coming weeks, Hardywood will mark another first, the addition of a second flagship (year round) beer in the form of Hardywood Pils:

Crisp, clean and incomparably quaffable, Hardywood Pils sparkles a brilliant shade of gold with a rich, cloud-white head. Hand crafted with only the finest European pilsner malt and German noble hops, Pils is patiently conditioned for weeks in our lagering tanks, maturing into a beer that refreshes the palate and satiates the soul. Brewed in strict accordance with the Reinheitsgebot, this classic pilsner is the quintissential lager beer in its purest form. A tad drier than its Bohemian cousin with the signature snappy herbal spice of Bavarian Hallertau hops to balance delicate maltiness, this pils offers a nod to old world tradition by the innovative brewers at Hardywood. Prost!

image

You will have to wait until November 1st to try this at the brewery or you can get a sneak preview at Scott’s Addition Pumpkin Festival on Saturday. Pils will hit the market in draft and six packs starting November 3rd.

Let’s get back to the day at hand.  Hardywood will celebrate their third anniversary Saturday October 25th starting at 2pm. The end of a momentous third year would be incomplete without Hardywood Third Anniversary Ale, “a classic style Berliner Weisse that will refresh your palate with tart complexities found in this German-style sour beer. Bright, dry, and refreshing, our Berliner Weisse has a strikingly tart start and prickly finish. Straw-like color and natural haze due to an abundance of wheat intensifies the rustic feel of this beer. Tart citrus notes explode on your palate, while the dry finish leaves you wanting more.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/ucLxPuTa7I/

Oh no, Hardywood is not just stopping at one Berliner Weisse; they have bottled three variants using Apricot, Cranberry, and Raspberry.  Each variant will be available on draft and in 4-packs to go (750mL bottles). (Limit one 4-pack per person, no growler fills.)

You’d think that would be enough. You’d be wrong.  Hardywood has enlisted three craft cocktail masters to create signature syrups to be served with the base Berliner Weisse:

  • Mattias Hagglund (Heritage): syrup of Virginia Cameo apples with lemon thyme and lemon zest.
  • Thomas Leggett (The Roosevelt): syrup of ruby red grapefruit
  • Jay Bayer (Saison): passion fruit and mosaic hops syrup that was also dry hopped with mosaic hops. The hops were boiled for 10 and 5 minutes for a bit of flavor and nose.

I feel like there needs to be a #RVAdine Flight option to be able to enjoy all three syrups against the base.

Live music will start at 5pm from The Red Hot Lava Men (pure surf), Goldrush (rock & roll music. Songs about stuff and beyond), and Black Girls (swaggering and seductive Motown rock).

Check out the Facebook event for more information and updates then head out and raise a few glasses.

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